Air gun



J. P. APPLEBY May 2, 1939.

AIR GUN Filed March 15. 1937 2 sheds-sheet 1y sbabbn May 2, 1939.

J. P. APPLEBY` AIR GUN Filed March l5, 1937 44 ffjf'u 2 Sheets-Sheet 2` 2s a2 /7 45 55433 f2/7 23 Patented May 2, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Am GUN Application March 15, 1937, Serial No. 130,922

2. Claims.

My present invention relates to that type of gun generally-designated as air guns, but is of a type wherein compressed air, in co-operation with force exerted by a released action spring, causes the discharge of projectiles such as `shot or small metal balls.

Generally stated, the invention consists of the novel devices, combinations of devices and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and defined in the claims.

The objects of the invention, briey stated, are the provision of a gun of the above type which will be strong, durable and eiiicient in action and yet of simple construction, and the parts of which may be individually made at a low cost and quickly and easily assembled, thereby affording a gun that may be commercially constructed at a minimum of cost consistent Ywith the purposes above stated.

A gun embodying the invention is illustrated `in the accompanying drawings, wherein like characters indicate like parts throughout the several views.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. 1 is aside elevation showing the improved gun;

Fig. 2 is a view in vertical axial section showing the improved gun on a larger scale than in Fig. 1, some parts being broken away, and showing the ejecting devices of the gun released and extended;

Fig. 3 is a view corresponding to Fig. 2 but showing the projecting elements of the gun retracted and some of the parts shown in Fig. 2 being broken away;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the main rear portion of the gun with some parts in horizontal section and some parts broken away;

Fig. 5 is a section taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 2; I

Fig. 6 is a `section taken on the `line 6-6 of Fig. 2; y

Fig. 7 is a section taken on the line 'I-1 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 8 is a horizontal section taken on the line 8-8 of Fig. 2, some parts being broken away;

Fig. 9 is a vertical section taken on the line 9--9 of Fig. 8;

Fig. 1'0 is a view corresponding to Fig. 9 but showing the gun barrel and parts carried thereby turned 180 from the position shown in Fig. 9; and

Fig. 10a. is a fragmentary view in side elevation showing the rear end or head portion of the piston rod for the piston of the gun,

The moving parts of the gun are enclosed within a casing l I preferably made of sheet metal, the front end portion of which is cylindrical and the expanded rear end of which is rigidly .secured to a gun stock or butt l I a by suitable means such as nut equipped bolts I2 rigidly secured within the casing II; and extended more or less into the cylindrical end thereof is an air cylinder I3 that is axially aligned with a gun barrel I4 of considerably less diameter. This gun barrel I4 at its rear end is formed as part of or otherwise rigidly secured to an externally threaded sleeve-like head I5 that is formed with an annular groove I6. The threaded end of the head I5 is arranged to be screw threaded through an internally threaded flange I'I of the air cylinder I3. When the head is screwed through the ange Il, as shown in the drawings, the barrel I4 will be held against axial movements but may be rotated as and for a purpose which will presently appear. At its extreme outer end the barrel I4 is formed with a rigidly secured cap I8, the flanged end o f which overlaps and is rotatable on the end of the casing. This cap I8 not only keeps the barrel I4 axially centered in respect to the-cylindrical portion of the casing but serves as a handpiece, by means of which the barrel can be rotated.

Extended parallel to and directly and rigidly secured to the barrel I4 is a tubular magazine I9 for receiving -the shot or balls 20. The extended end of the magazine I9 is closed, but adjacent to said end it is provided at its outer `side with an entrance port 2I, which in one rotary position of the barrel will register with a port 22Vformed in the cylindrical portion of the casing II, see particularly Fig. 10. Close to the head I5 is a ball deliveryv passage 23, shown in Figs. 9 and 10 as occupied by a ball or slot. Rigidly secured to the barrel is a spring finger 24, the free end of whichis bent and enters through a passage 25 in the barrel and performs an important function which will be hereinafter noted. Rigidly secured to the barrel somewhat near its front end is another spring arm 26, which, in the normal position of the parts best shown in Fig. 9, engages the perforation or port 22 in the casing II and normally holds the barrel and parts carried thereby against accidental rotation and with the magazine in position to deliver balls to the barrel, but with the receiving port 2| closed.

Working in the air cylinder I3 is a piston head 28, which, as shown, is of the leather-cup type being clamped by a threaded stud 29 to the head 3U of a tubular plunger 3| that works within the barrel |4. This tubular plunger 3| also works through a buffer ring 32 seated within the air cylinder I3 and against the adjacent end of the sleeve-like head I5. Closely adjacent to the buffer ring 32 the tubular plunger 3| is provided with one or more lateral air ports 33. The socalled buffer ring 32 forms a head at the front end of the air cylinder and through which the tubular plunger 3| works with quite close engagement.

The stud 29 of the air piston is connected by a pin 34 or the like to the front end of a piston rod 35, the intermediate portion of which, as shown, is a bifurcated structure and the rear end of which is terminated in a head 36 formed at its under side with a latch lug 31, see particularly Figs. 3 and 10a.

Located in the rear portion of the casing is a lower relatively fixed rack-acting element 38 and an upper slidable .rack-acting element 39. The lower rack-acting element 38 is in the form of a, channel having upturned flanges, the sides of which are riveted or otherwise secured to the sides of the casing II. Rigidly secured to the front end of the lower rack-acting element 38 is an abutment plate or flange 40, the upwardly projecting end of which is extended through the bifurcated portion of the piston-acting member 35 and serves to guide the latter for true forward and rearward sliding movements. In the particular structure illustrated the extreme front end of the rack-acting element 38 has a lip 4| extended through a slot in the plate 40 and upset to rigidly connect the said elements 38 and 40. Also in the structure illustrated the abutment plate 4| has a T-shaped upwardly projecting portion 42 that is adapted to be inserted through the opening of the bifurcated piston-acting rod 35 when turned from the position shown in Fig. 6, and then to be slidably interlocked therewith by turning it back to its original position. This action should, of course, be performed before the lip 4| has been inserted and upset.

The power for operating the gun is to be stored up in a strong coiled spring 43 that is placed around the piston rod 35 and compressed between the piston head and the abutment plate 40.

In its bottom flange the fixed rack member 38 is provided with a row of perforations and intervening portions that form rack teeth 44, see Figs. 4 and 5. At its right-hand flange the fixed rack member 38 has a notch 45, the purpose for which will hereinafter appear.

The movable or slidable rack-acting member 39 is in the form of an inverted channel which ts the upper portion of the casing and slides upon the anges of the lower or fixed rack member 38. In its crown or upper portion this upper rack member 39 has a longitudinal row of perforations and intervening kportions that afford rack teeth 46, see particularly Figs. 2, 3, 4 and 5.

At its rear portion the sliding rack member 39 is provided with a retracting bolt 41 journaled in an offset sleevelike portion 48 of said member 39 and provided with an operating handle 49. By manipulationof the bolt handle 49 the rack member 39 may beV drawn backward from the position shown in Fig. 2 into the position shown in Fig. 3.

The connection whereby sliding movements of the rack 39 will retract the piston rod 35 and parts connected thereto involves novel features,

-fand in the preferred form is substantially as folthe slot of a guide plate 5U fixed within the casing II is a differential gear made up of a relatively large gear 5| and a relatively small gear 52, secured to a common hub 53. The hub portion 53 runs on the bottom of the fixed rack member 38 and immediately under the upper portion of the guide plate 50. The teeth of large gear 5| work enmeshed with the teeth 46 of the sliding rack 39 and freely through a slot in the bottom of the fixed rack; but the teeth of the smaller gear 52 run in contact only with the teeth 44 of the xed rack 38. Pivotally connected to the differential gear by a pin or rivet 54 is a bifurcated or yoke-like retracting link 55, the front end portion of which slides upon the bottom of the xed rack 38 and engages around the depending portion of the head 38 of the piston rod 35. Pivoted to the front end of the fixed rack 38 at 56 is a dog or latch-acting member 51 which has an upturned cam-acting latch lug 58 that is adapted to engage the latch lug 31 of head 36 when the latter is retracted. The free end of this latch dog or lug 51 is connected at 59 to the forwardly projecting arm of a trigger lever 60 that is pivoted at 6| to the rear lower portion of the casing I and is subject to a spring 82.

Operation Figs. 1, 2, 8 and 9 show positions of the parts of the gun immedaitely after ring or discharge of the gun. It will be remembered that the barrel I4 together with the magazine I9 carried thereby may, by manipulation of the cap I8, be held against rotation on the axis of the barrel. When the cap I8 and barrel and magazine are held p against rotation and the casing is rotated from the position shown in Fig. 9 into the position shown in Fig. 10, it will carry and it will position the port 22 of the casing in registration with port 2| of the barrel. This permits the balls 20 to be introduced into the magazine. Then when the casing is rotated back to its normal position, shown in Fig. 9, the magazine port 2| will be closed and the end of the spring arm or latch 26 will engage the port 22 and will hold the rotary structure with the magazine on top of the barrel, so that when the discharge end of the gun is turned, one ball will run into the delivery passage 23.

When the piston 28 and plunger 3| are projected, as shown in Figs. 2, 8 and 9, the breech bolt handle 49 may be turned downward into engagement with the notch 45 in the fixed rack 38, thereby locking the sliding elements against retraction. When, however, the bolt arm 49 is raised, it serves as a handle which, when pulled rearward, will cause the movable rack 39 to travel rearward. Rearward movement of the rack 39 operating through the differential gears 52 and 53 and the retracting link 55 will pull the piston rod or member 35 rearward carrying with it the piston 28 and tubular plunger 3|. This rearward movement of said parts is, of course, against the tension of the spring 43 and will set the said spring under high compression. When the head 38 is moved rearward, as just stated, the latch lug 58 of latch dog or lever 51 will engage the latch member 31 of head 38, thereby latching the retracted elements in positions shown in Fig. 3,

with the action spring 43 set for action when released.

If the gears 52 and 53 were of the same diameter, or if a single gear were to be engaged with both nf the racks 38'and 39, then the rearward movement imparted to piston rod 35 and parts and its handle.

connected thereto would be one half that imparted to the movable rack 39. However, with the differential gear arrangement the movement imparted to the said piston 35 and parts connected thereto, including the piston 28 and plunger 3|, will be very materially less than one half the movement imparted to the movable rack 39. This feature is highly important for the following reasons: Usually the action spring 35 will be set under a tension of sixty pounds which, by force directly applied, would be objectionably high. With the arrangement illustrated, for example, in movement of ve inches of the actuating bolt and movable rack, the link 55, rod 33 and piston 28 will be retracted or moved backward only two inches. Moreover, setting the spring under sixty pounds pressure may be accomplished by approximately twenty-four pounds pull on the bolt With gears of the same diameter or by the use of a single gear, thirty pounds pull on the actuating bolt would be required to set the spring under sixty pounds pressure. Under rearward movement of the parts just stated, air will be drawn into the cylinder I3 through the tubular plunger 3| and port or ports 33. When the tubular plunger 3| reaches its extreme rearward position, its front end is moved to a point just rearward of the ball deposited in the delivery passage 23; and that ball will then drop v into the receiving end or" the barrel I4, and the free end of the spring detaining nger 24 will engage the deposited ball and prevent the same from running further into the barrel |4 even when the gun is turned point downward. The delivery of the ball into the barrel, as just stated, will take place under the action of gravity when the point of the gun is turned slightly upward. When one ball has been delivered into the barrel, the next time that the point of the gun is turned upward another ball will roll into the passage 23, ready for delivery into the barrel the next time that a plunger is retracted.

To discharge the gun it is only necessary to pull on the trigger 63, thereby causing the latch dog 5l to release the head 3E, piston rod 35, piston head 28 and plunger 3|, all of which released elements will then be violently thrust forward under action of the spring 43.

The initial forward movement of the plunger 3| will positively start the discharge movement of the ball, but the projection of the ball is further produced and accelerated by discharge of air under the action of piston head 28 through the tubular stem and against the ball, the inertia of which has already been positively overcome and its discharge movement initiated. 'I'he volume of air discharged from the air cylinder, the diameter of which is much greater than that of the barrel, will cause the ball to travel faster than the plunger so that the velocity at which the ball will be discharged from the barrel will be much greater than the speed of the plunger and the other mechanically movable parts.

Attention is further called to the following facts: When plunger 3| is retracted to its limit, its front end will be just back of the ball entrance passage from the magazine into the barrel, so that the deposit of one ball may be made by spring finger 24 in such position that a second ball can not drop into the barrel. Under initial projecting movement of the plunger 3| its front end will pass and close the ball delivery passage 23 and the entrance or port through which the free end of spring 24 enters the barrel, with the result that thereafter and during almost the entire stroke of the piston and plunger the escape of air from the air cylinder can only be through the tubular plunger and against the ball, the movement of which has already been positively started by the engagement therewith of the plunger itself.

From the foregoing the complete operation of the gun is thought to have been made clear. Most of the parts of the gun described are capable of being chiefly stamped from sheet metal, and no expensive elements are employed in the gun. While the gun is capable of use to discharge shot or balls of various kinds of metal, it is primarily designed for the discharge of steel balls or shot. The drawings illustrate a gun that has actually been made and tried and embodies what is at present considered the preferred form thereof, but it will be understood that the illustrated gun may be modied as to details of construction and arrangement of parts Within the scope of the invention herein disclosed and claimed.

What I claim is:

l. In a gun of the kind described, a barrel, a forwardly pressed projectile-ejecting plunger working in said barrel, means for holding said plunger retracted and for releasing the same, and

means for retracting said plunger comprising `a rack secured on said barrel, a second rack slidable in said barrel, a hand-piece for retracting said slidable rack, and gear mechanism meshing with said two racks and arranged to travel longitudinally of said barrel, and a retracting link having its rear end journaled on the hub of said gear mechanism and its front end detachably engageable with said ejecting plunger to retract the same, said link, hand-piece, gear mechanism and sliding rack being freely movable to forward positions, while said plunger is latched in a retracted position.

2. In a gun of the kind described, a barrel, a forwardly spring-pressed projectile-ejecting plunger working in said barrel, means for holding said plunger retracted and for releasing the same, and means for retracting said plunger comprising a rack secured on said barrel, a second rack slidable in said barrel, a hand-piece for retracting said slidable rack, a differential gear, the larger member of which engages one of said racks and the smaller member of which engages the other of said racks, and a retracting link having its rear end journaled on the hub of said differential gear and its front end detachably engageable with said ejecting plunger to retract the same, said link, hand-piece, diiferential gear, and sliding rack being freely movable to forward positions, while said plunger is latched in a retracted position.

JAMES P. APPLEBY. 

